Thursday's Evening Edtion

Well, Tuesday's results seem to have been a bit interesting.  The race for governor turned into a nail biter.  but for the cry for the fisherman, might not have been as close.  It was in many ways a foolish reply to an even more foolish question. 

Anyway ... what the votes show provides interesting insight. The breakdown of votes by communities reveals a few tidbits.  About two-thirds of the western third of the communities in that section of the Commonwealth went blue.  The big majority of all communities went red, and went red big time, but what kept it close was the vote in the cities.  If you are wondering, yes Fairhaven voted blue.

All the local Dems seem to be wondering just what the heck happened. Well not all of them, but a fair amount. We are also seeing the standard rants about how foolish, dumb and stupid people in other states are.  To which I have noted to a few speakers there is a reason we exist in a system of representative government.  People have a right to vote for who they want, not who you or I may want.

Yes it is a shame we in Massachusetts have to suffer the consequences of the actions of an elected official from another state.  Trust me, it is a concept that works in reverse as far as the thought process of people in other states.

Locally, no changes.  Of course none were expected.  

Some disappointments.  Not personally. To be disappointed one really has to have expectations. To expect anything but SOP in this area is a pipe dream.

The disappoint is from what I am hearing on the street.  The expanded bottle bill went down big time. Hearing the complaints about "big money" influencing the vote. Funny there aren't any of the same complaints about the "big money" spent to try and keep the automatic gas tax in effect.  

Numerous people stated their opposition to the bottle bill was in fact that, despite the good intentions and the same are in fact good, they cannot/could not support what is essentially in their minds another money maker for the state.  It has been and would be folks.  No escaping that. If you read the opinion piece in the local daily today, you will note the little blurb on how the fund has been raided and depleted in the past.  

Here is my right leaning fiscal, evil slant on it.  When you want to impose such a matter, than make certain you guaranty to the people that the money you are taking from their pockets will be dedicated and used solely for the purpose you are saying.

As to the gas tax, well thankfully that one passed, i.e. the repeal of the automatic adjustment.  Here is the most novel idea I have heard, if conditions are that inadequate, if more money is needed, how about making the decisions on a year to year basis? How about actually voting to spend money that is being raised?  How about voting to establish priorities? How about having the courage to raise taxes when and if needed.

Don't be surprised if you see an attempt to have an automatic adjustment to the income tax at some point.

It is one thing to say you have authorized something, it is entirely different to actually do it. Bonding authorizations fall into the same category as the yearly increase in school aid.  Yep, that education figure goes up every year. Except it is tied into your total cherry sheet, so when the bottom part of the sheet sees stagnation or lip service increases, coupled with the ever increasing take backs on assessments, what you essentially get is more of nothing. If you are a burb that is.

Many of you might not have a clue what that rant is about.  But it is a reasoning why many communities tend to vote redder than most people realize. In the end, those that do vote often and make the attempt to stay informed realize that in this state, the bigger the community the more Boston is willing to let trickle down to you. that's cause big cities carry big votes.

If you can find a way to run a train from Boston to an airport in another state, seems to me to you be able to run one to the major population areas in state. Just a thought.

Okay, just so you have a local bit or two ...

Expect a change of tack and a different track to be taken on Mill Road land.  someone puts together an actual plan, who knows?  but not from stabilization, and things best be firmed up quite a bit.  Big mistake dangling a new site for public safety as the impetus.  I said it before, economic development maybe.  There is merit to the argument, however there needs to be more than just merit.

Truthfully, I think the well has been poisoned and there isn't enough antidote out there. A shame really.

Anyway ... enough for the day, and nearly a day late at that.

Be safe.